Electric connector



Jan. 17, 1956 c, DQANE 2,731,617

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 20, 1951 INVENTOR. Z6 30 Harry E. Duane BY //l 8/ United States Patent ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Harry C. Doane, Flint, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Deiaware 7 Application November 26, 1951, Serial No. 257,347

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-256) This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to connectors consisting of two members one of which is adapted to receive and grip the other to provide a tight interlocking electrical engagement between the members.

A feature of the invention is to provide an improved detachable connector adapted for use in connecting electrical conductors to terminals. This object and other objects are accomplished by providing a receptacle of two parts including a sheet metal member which is provided with parallel flanges extending from a base portion and extending throughout its length to provide a U-shaped section, a portion of each flange having a reversed bend facing the base portion to provide stops in spaced relation to the base portion. A leaf spring is secured at one end to the sheet metal member and has its free end flared and disposed between the base and the stops of the sheet metal member and the free end is normally flexed from the stops. A plug member is insertable between the base portion and the leaf spring, said free end of the spring being forced against the stops which insures firm contact between the plug and the receptacle. The receptacle and plug include cooperating parts which restrain accidental separation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preformed socket member embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a plug member separated from the socket member.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the plug member in interengaged relation with the socket member.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a modified form of the connector, showing a plug in interengaged relation with a socket member, portions of the socket member being removed.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views of a further modified form of a socket member and a plug member.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 1010 of Fig. 8, but showing the plug inserted in a socket.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 through 5 show a combined terminal socket or receptacle and a spade type prong or male member 21. The terminal socket is first made from a T-shaped blank 22 of relatively heavy conducting material and a T-shaped strip 23 of relatively thin springy conducting material. The blank 22 includes a stem or base portion 24 with an opening 25 adjacent the free end and side wings 26 at the other end, each wing has an opening 27. The blank 22 has a notch 28 between the wings 26 and an anti-turn tang or tongue 28a.

2,731,617 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 The blank is deformed to provide the U-shaped socket 20. In detail the receptacle has the stem or base portion 24 provided with upstanding flanges 29, extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the base 24. The flanges 26 are further bent reversely or rolled inwardly and downwardly toward the base so that the free ends form stops 30 which are spaced from the base. The edges 30 are spaced laterally from each other and from the base 24 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The T-shaped strip 23 is deformed longitudinally through the body thereof to provide a straight stem portion 35 having an opening 36, an arched portion 37, a straight intermediate portion 39 and a flared portion 40 extending across the wings 41 of the blank 23.

Referring to Fig. 3 the receptacle 20 including membars 22 and 23 and a conducting strip 42 having an aperture 43 are mounted on a terminal block or support 45 of insulating material. The block is formed with a through opening 46 and a recess 47. The members 23, 24 and 42 are assembled to the support by registering their respective apertures by a single rivet 48 which serves to secure electrically the members 24, 23 and 42 to each other and to the support 45. The tongue 28a projects into the recess 47 to prevent the socket 20 from turning on the rivet 48.

When the rivet 48 secures the parts 20 and 23 together as shown in Fig. 3 the straight part 39 and the flared portion 40 are deflected toward the base 24 but spaced from the base. The flared end 40 of the spring facilitates the entrance of the spade or male terminal. In this instance the spade terminal is provided with side bosses 59 so as to be received by the opening in the wings to hold the members 20 and 21 yieldingly against accidental disconnection. The male member or spade 21 has terminal portions 55 and 56 to receive a cable. The portions 55 are clamped about the insulation of a cable and the portions 56 are clamped about the bared end 58. The bared end of the cable may be soldered to portion 56. It is to be understood any other type of terminal portions could be used to secure a cable to a spade instead of the one shown.

The male member can quickly and easily be assembled to the socket as indicated in Fig. 3. The spade terminal 21 may be made so that its width is substantially the same width as the space between inside surfaces of the wings or flanges of the socket member 21. The terminal 21 is snugly received by the side wings and thus guided in a straight line for a short distance until the bosses engage the outermost ends of the wings. When the male member is assembled into the socket the male member will first force the flared end 40 and the arched portion 37 against the edges 30 thereby placing the strip 23 under tension to urge constantly the spade toward the base portion 24. It is pointed out that the amount of deflection of the spring 23 is limited by the edges 30 and is within the elastic limit of the metal so that the tension will be maintained at all times. As the spade is moved further into the socket member 26 the bosses 50 will cam the wings 26 outwardly in a pivotal movement from points substantially near the points of junction with the base 24. When the bosses are in register with the opening in the wings, the wings will return toward their normal positions to lock the spade within the socket 20. It will be noted that the under side of the spade does not engage the flat portion of the base 24 but the lower corners of the spade will make line contact with the curved portions 60 which form the junction between the base and wings. This relationship is clearly shown in Fig. 6. By this arrangement the spring member 23 constantly urges the male member toward the base, thereby making a good electrical connection between the spade and socket.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the side wings may be formed with depressions 70 instead of Openings and the spade 50a is formed with notches 71 to receive the depressions 70, the parts being otherwise similar to the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 through 5.

In'the modified form of the connector shown in Figs. 8 through 11, the spade terminal 81 similar to spade terminal 21 with these exceptions, the sides of the spade are straight but may have a round hole 82 punched in the'flat portion thereof which receives a' detent portion 83 formed in the spring member 230 to prevent accidental separation of terminal 81 from the receptacle.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted,

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A separable connection including a receptacle in the form of a channel shaped sheet metal member having rounded corners between the flanges and the web portion, a cooperating flat blade plug member narrower than the internal distance between said flanges but wider than said web portion and having its edge portions parallel to said rounded corners and extending in line contact with intermediate portions of said rounded corners when inserted in said receptacle, and a spring tongue extending within said channel member and having one end anchored to said web portion, said spring tongue having adjacent said anchored end a first portion displaced away from said web, said tongue having the free end portion displaced away from said web portion, said tongue having the mid-portion in between the free end portion and said first portion displaced toward said web portion into spring contact with the adjacent face of said plug when in the receptacle for holding the edges of said plug in line contact with the inner rounded edges of said channel member, said free end portion and said channel member being provided with an interengaging limit stop arrangement to limit its movement away from said web portion whensaid plug is inserted.

2. A separable connection including a receptacle in the 1 form of a channel shaped sheet metal member having rounded corners between the flanges and the web portion,

. a cooperating flat blade plug member narrower than the internal distance between said flanges but wider than said web portion and having its edge portions parallel to said rounded corners and extending in line contact with intermediate portions of said rounded corners when inserted in said receptacle, and a spring tongue extending within said channel member and having one end anchored to said web portion and having a second portion extending into resilient contact with the face of said plug on the opposite side of said web for holding the edges of said plug in line contact with intermediate portions of the rounded corners when inserted in the receptacle.

3. A separable connection including a receptacle in the form of a channel shaped sheet metal member having rounded corners between the flanges and the web portion,

a cooperating flat blade plug member. narrower than the internal distance between said flanges, and a spring tongue extending within said channel member and having one end anchored to said web portion, said spring tongue having adjacent said anchored end a first portion displaced away from said web, said tongue having the free end portion displaced away from said web portion, said tongue,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,531,816 Russell Mar. 31, 1925 1,995,115 Douglas Mar. 19, 1935 2,145,164 Douglas Ian. 24, 1939 2,173,206 Landmeier Sept. 19, 1939 2,301,447 Parker et al Nov. 10, 1942 2,364,095 'Pederquist Dec. 5, 1944 2,552,392 Batcheller May 8, 1951 

